[1][2] Prior to entering federal politics, Davies helped found the Downtown Eastside Residents Association[3] and served as a Vancouver city councillor from 1982 to 1993.

She dropped out of university to help Bruce Eriksen found the Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA), an influential low-income housing advocacy group.

[5][6] For 24 years, Davies lived in a common-law relationship with Vancouver city councillor Bruce Eriksen,[7] who died of cancer in 1997.

Davies, who was never formally married to Eriksen, joined other commentators in criticizing Kenney for playing politics with other parliamentarians' personal lives.

In December 2007, Davies received the Justice Gerald Le Dain Award for Achievement in the Field of Law.

[16] Davies declined to stand as a candidate for the leadership of the New Democratic Party in 2012, citing her inability to speak French as a factor.